The Indian Navy football team, which is based in Mumbai, put up an impressive showing and emerged triumphant, winning the 67th Inter-Services Football Championship. In the final, which was keenly fought, Indian Navy managed to get the better of Army Red, Kolkata by a close 1-0 margin at the Gorkha Rifles Regimental Centre ground, Lucknow.
Playing well as a unit and producing a much-improved display, Indian Navy scored the only goal of the match in the 12th minute of the first half through striker Bipaka Thapa.
Thereafter, the sailors stoutly defended their lead to complete a deserving victory and become champions. In the process Indian Navy also avenged their 0-2 defeat to Army Red earlier in the qualifying league phase of the tournament.
Bipaka Thapa
The fine performances of the Indian Navy players were noticed and 12 of them were shortlisted for selection to the Services team that will participate in the 2016 National Football Championship for the Santosh Trophy to be held in Nagpur later this year. Services are the defending champions having defeated Punjab 5-4 via the penalties in the final last year.
Result (final): Indian Navy, Mumbai 1 (Bipaka Thapa 12th) beat Army Red, Kolkata 0.